Black Chapter
by Paperkut-98
Summary: An exciting .hack fanfic, with multiple characters involved and some VERY interesting plotlines, all intertwined to one major conflict. It's full of action, drama and secrets! Please review this story, since I have put a lot of effort in to planning it!
1. Tired

"**Black Chapter"**

By Paperkut-98 

**You may send me an email at black underscore chapter at hotmail dot com if you have questions about the storyline. I do not own Dot Hack, Final Fantasy (7, 9, 10), or Inuyasha, nor am I affiliated with either franchise in any way, except as a fan. I am making no profit from this story. Nobody may reproduce this piece unless they have permission from me, the author. Thank you!**

**WARNING: This story contains very small _yaoi_ and M/F content. You have been warned. Also, it is set in the "Dot Hack" universe. I suggest you know the concept of that franchise, since the story could be confusing otherwise. Thank you!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey readers! I'm really happy you've decided to read my new fanfic. Personally, I think this is my best work. It starts off slow, but _really _picks up after a couple of chapters. There are a lot of plot twists, which is why I've included my professional address in the footnotes above. So, feel free to email me if you have any questions. I hope you enjoy my story!**

**Thank you for reading! Have fun!**

**…**

**_"Hahah!" the youngster shrieked with delight as his father tickled him from the driver's seat of the car._**

_**"Don't laugh," the man said seriously, knowing bloody well that it would just make the boy laugh harder. "DON'T. LAUGH."**_

_**The boy rang with laughter as the car stayed parked at the head of the intersection, the mood set by the beautiful, sunny day contrasted by the painfully long traffic jam. While other drivers angrily bumped their horns under the hot summer sun, the man driving this car was busy entertaining his nine-year old son, who was riding up in the front of the car with him for the first time this summer.**_

_**"D-Daddy, please!" he gasped. "I… I can't… laugh any… more!"**_

_**The man's brown eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, yeah? I'll just have to see about that…"**_

_**As the man continued to tickle the boy, regardless of his protests, he beamed. His son was such a beautiful gift, he thought. God must truly love him for giving him such a healthy, pleasant young boy. Ever since he had been born, the man was excited to know how his son would grow up; what kind of adult would his son become?**_

_**He hoped, with all his heart, that he would always be around to watch him grow. But if he couldn't be, then he hoped that his son would always remember his love, and would know that his father would always be there for him, in body or just in spirit.**_

_**Just then, a truck swerved angrily down the middle of the street, ran by a driver who had just went into cardiac arrest.**_

**…**

**_USER NAME…_**

**CLOUD**

**_PASSWORD_**

**FENRIR**

**_WAITING._**

_**WAITING..**_

_**WAITING…**_

_**SUCCESS! WELCOME TO 'THE WORLD'!**_

**…**

**He was inside _The World_, where he could forget all of his problems and simply… be. He could simply do whatever it was he wished—search dungeons, level up, raise one of the beasts known as '_Grunty's_'… It was just an online game, after all. He didn't have to worry about a thing.**

**Cloud scanned the area. He was once again in the gentle, green land of _Dun Loireag_, where many players were running around, minding their own business or the business of their party. He could see the area so clearly with the goggles he was wearing in Reality. He could hear everything, feel everything, and see everything. He could even taste the air, which tasted pure and…**

**_DING!_**

**Cloud stood amongst the rushing crowds, who were hurrying to shops and the _Chaos Gate_, trying to enjoy their games, and he checked his new message.**

**_YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO JOIN A PARTY._**

**_SENDER: _TIFA**

**Cloud hesitated.**

**_'She wants to spend time together… of course._' With that thought, he scrolled down to the part of the message that said, "ACCEPT or DECLINE", and he chose, "ACCEPT".**

**A new message popped up.**

_**GREAT! I HAVE A NEW DUNGEON THAT I WANT US TO CHECK OUT. I HEAR IT HAS A POWERFUL WEAPON INSIDE!**_

Cloud scratched his spiky blond hair. Inside _The World_, he had chosen to be a _Heavy Blade_, but he had refused the typical stocky build that came with that type of class. Instead, he had opted for a toned, yet slender frame, with sky-blue eyes and blond hair. He seemed to be a typical "pretty boy", yet it wasn't that far from what he looked like in Reality. Cloud didn't like people who stretched the truth too far, even if it was harmless.

Cloud waited, and soon enough, she arrived.

"Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed, shortly after running to him.

Cloud smiled at the young girl. She seemed to be about 16 years old, according to her character's avatar. She was very beautiful in _The World_, with long brown hair, brown eyes, and a bright, sparkling personality to match. He and Tifa had been friends for a long time, and had grown close in _The World_. They met at least once a week, sometimes more than that, just to hang out together.

'_I wonder if she's like this in the real world._'

"Hey, Tifa," Cloud smiled. "You… look nice today." Tifa giggled.

"So do you, Cloud," she grinned, breaking out a perfect smile. "You look… great."

'_Tired._'

Cloud scratched his head again. "You said something about a new dungeon, Tifa. What did you hear about it?"

Tifa placed her hands on her hips and slumped slightly in her posture. "It's called 'Mysterious Her Pilgrimage'," she said, "and I hear that it has a Fighter-class weapon inside. A rare item, I think."

Tifa was a Fighter-class character. Although her level wasn't very high—23—she was still a good fighter in combat. Together with Cloud, she could hold her own in a fight.

'_Oh,_' Cloud thought, '_a Fighter's weapon… So that's why she wanted me to join her party…_'

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Are you in? Or, are you out, Cloud?"

…

A few moments later, Cloud and Tifa were standing outside of a dungeon entrance, waiting as a gentle wind blew all around them.

'_This dungeon looks like it should be easy,_' Cloud thought to himself. He was standing on a grassy green plain, with a blue sky overhead and a wide, gaping dungeon entrance in front of him. His heavy sword was now red, with the blood of monsters dripping from its cold steel. He had slain many monsters on his way to the dungeon's entrance, but none of them had proven to be much of a challenge, even for the lower-leveled Tifa. He doubted that a weak area like this one could offer much of a "rare weapon".

Tifa finished looking around and then she smiled at Cloud. "It's safe," she said. "There doesn't seem to be any more monsters around here."

Cloud nodded. He gripped the handle of his blade, feeling the worn fabric that was wrapped around the blade's grip. He could _smell_ the blood dripping from his sword. It smelled…

'_It's fake_,' he knew. He walked forward.

Tifa followed him. "Let's go!" she cheered.

'_So tired… He just looks so tired._'

…

_The young boy's eyes darted all around the wrecked vehicle. He was trapped. He could feel something heavy pinning him down, against the seat of the car. But something wasn't right…_

_"Daddy!" he cried, panic rising in his voice, "D-Daddy! The car is upside-down!"_

_He waited for an answer, but did not hear any response._

_"Daddy?"_

_The smell of smoke and fumes was intoxicating him, but there was another scent, too. He had smelled it before. He remembered one time when he had fallen from the monkey bars at school and bashed his elbow on the gravel. He had cried and felt sorry for himself as the nurse kissed it all better and put a bandage on it. But first, she had wiped up the red fluid that came from the cut… It was blood…_

_Except now, the scent was sickening. He had never smelled anything quite so strong._

_"D-Daddy!" he screamed, suddenly feeling panicked. "Daddy, where are you? Why aren't you talking? Daddy!"_

_Moments passed without answer. It was the last time… It was the last time he would know what his father smelled like._

_Blood._

…

"_Hiiyaa!_" Tifa's knuckles shattered the bone in the back of the monster's neck, killing it. It disappeared with a wisp of smoke, and Tifa landed on her feet from the great height at which she had delivered her finishing blow.

She puffed and heaved for a few seconds, then collected herself and stood up on her feet. "That's the last of them," she said to Cloud, who was standing not too far away from her. "We can move forward, now."

Quietly, Cloud nodded. He cast a quick glance around him: the corridor in which he and Tifa were in seemed to extend _forever_. It made him feel… safe, somehow: as though his path was clear and obvious.

"Let's go," he said.

Tifa followed her friend as he guided them down the hallway, walking along the cement floor that had so many weird designs splashed onto it. Briefly, she wondered what he was thinking. The boy that had been her friend for so long was mysterious, even today. He never seemed to speak his mind, and it worried Tifa that she didn't know what he _felt_ like saying but hid from her.

"Tifa," Cloud suddenly said, breaking the silence. "You're being quiet."

Tifa blushed. "I—uh, was just wondering… What are you thinking about, Cloud?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What am I… thinking about?"

Tifa nodded, cautiously. "I mean… You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to. I just… I mean…"

Cloud scratched his head momentarily, then turned his head and glanced at Tifa. "I was just thinking… about _The World_."

Tifa couldn't help but smile a bit. "Really?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, that's all. Just _The World_… and some other things."

Tifa frowned as Cloud looked away. '_Other things?_'

Refusing to be shy now, she asked, "Like what?"

Cloud hesitated, then the smallest hint of a smile appeared on his face. "You… and me."

Tifa's mouth dropped, and then a deep red blush spilled into her cheeks. Embarrassedly, she asked, "What about you… and me?"

Cloud smiled. "I've been thinking about _The World_… and how you're the only person I've really been spending any time with in it. I was just wondering if maybe you're…"

Suddenly, he stopped. He ran some fingers through his hair, and then shook his head.

"No… forget it. Never mind, Tifa."

Tifa would have protested, but she saw the look on his face—the look that told her to drop it. Her face fell.

"Oh—okay…" she murmured. Cloud shuffled forward, his face cloudy and his eyes solemn.

As she tagged along, wondering what he had been thinking, he felt a heavy feeling in his stomach tighten into a knot and grip his heart coldly.

'_I was wondering if you're bored yet._'

…

Tifa grunted with disappointment. "Hell!" she exclaimed, spying the twin knives nestled safely within the Treasure Chest. "They're _Twin Blade_ weapons!"

The two friends had reached the lowest level of the dungeon moments ago, and Tifa had proceeded to open the Treasure Chest. She was sorely let down.

Cloud sighed and shook his head with disbelief. "Leave them," he suggested. "Someone else can use them, I guess."

Tifa sighed, and then closed the chest again. "Yeah," she muttered, "you're right." She then stood up and looked at Cloud, her expressive brown eyes guilty.

"I'm really sorry I dragged you all the way out here for nothing," she said softly. "I didn't know about this."

Cloud offered up a small smile. "Don't worry about it, Tifa," he said. "I had fun. Don't worry about it."

A few moments later, they had teleported back to the Field area. That was when they heard a scream.

"_Thundaga!_" the female voice shrieked.

A few yards away from them, a bright yellow flash of light appeared, followed by a high-pitched scream of terror.

Tifa's eyes widened. "_Thundaga_?" she asked. "I've never heard of a technique like that one before…"

Cloud's eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the space where the bright yellow lightning flash had just appeared. '_What the hell?_'

"_Thundaga_ is a very powerful _Wavemaster_'s technique," he explained, his voice solemn and quiet, "usually reserved for emergency occasions. A spell like that should never have to be used in an area like this one."

Tifa looked surprised. "You mean… that was a strong player we just heard screaming?"

Cloud nodded, his eyes determined. "That's right, Tifa. Whoever that player is, they're in trouble. They must be facing a strong monster."

"But… But that's impossible!" Tifa exclaimed. "This area isn't that tough! We got through it easily!"

Cloud gripped the handle of his blade a little harder. '_Maybe… we should go check things out…_' he thought.

Once again, he heard the familiar shrieking sound of a female player, and then he heard her yell, "_Firaga!_"

Cloud wasted no more time. He unsheathed his sword and raced off towards the location from which the battle was taking place, which was now bright red with burning flames used in an offensive spell.

"_Cloud!_" Tifa cried out, "_Wait!_" With that, she scrambled after him, toward the point of battle.

…

The brown-eyed young woman gritted her teeth. The monster wasn't even reacting to her spells, and she felt hopeless.

"_Reflect!_" she cried out. She swung her staff around to her front and let a light, pinkish-colored barrier flash in front of her. The monster's breath-attack echoed off her shield, but she could see it: the technique was wearing away the barrier.

'_It's strong_,' the brunette-haired girl realized.

The giant black monster hissed with anger. It was a dragon, albeit a small one, only twice the size of the female _Wavemaster_ that it was trying to kill. It was completely black, with hissing yellow eyes and brandishing claws.

'_Level 40_,' the girl realized, '_this monster is at Level 40…_'

Alone, she couldn't compare with it. But she had a mission to do…

"_Firaga!_" she shrieked, letting a wave of hot flames glisten from the tongue of the staff she was wielding. The flames licked the beast from behind the barrier, causing steam to draw from the creature's body. It merely hissed with dissatisfaction, and then swung its tail around.

"_Ooof!_" the girl screamed as the tail swung completely through the barrier, shattering the magical protection with every ounce of its strength, and knocked into her body. She flew back, unable to react as the crushing tail slammed her to the ground after a lengthy fall.

"_Cross-Slash!_"

She heard an unfamiliar voice call out, and then…

The monster howled with pain. Cloud's sword had done more than enough damage to kill any ordinary monster, but this wasn't the case. Cloud held his blade menacingly as he faced the creature from a few feet away, taking cautious steps as his mind raced to make a battle plan.

"_Dolphin Fist!_" Tifa screamed. She smashed the back of her opponent's head as hard as she could, with the weight of an ocean behind her blow. The dragon fiend merely roared.

"Tifa!" Cloud shouted, glaring the monster down. "Get down from there!"

"I won't!" Tifa promised. "I—" She was cut off by the sound of her own scream when the dragon bucked, its tail swinging veraciously through the air, and struck her in the stomach. She silently collapsed to the ground, feet away from her prey.

'_Like a rag doll_…' Cloud thought, shocking himself with the sickening thought. He shook his head fiercely, and then he gripped his blade as tight as he could hold it. Hot sweat trickled down its bearing as Cloud gazed at his sizeable opponent with the determination of a killer, preying on its victim.

"_Braver!_" he screamed. He swung his massive blade through the air, cutting the wind and relinquishing a hot flash of sheer power. The energy beamed from Cloud's sword, and met the dragon with an angry sound, like metal scratching metal. The dragon hissed with pain.

'_It's working…_' Cloud realized. His attack had hit the dragon on its arm. Cloud took that into account. Also, the dragon's paw seemed to relax with the weight of the technique grinding down on its arm strength. Cloud noted that, as well.

"_Taming Sword!_" Cloud screamed. He ran toward the beast and threw his entire weight into his blade, which crushed down onto the massive, clawed paw of the dragon. It screamed in pain as Cloud's blade sawed through the hand, securing it to the ground.

Cloud used his hands to hold onto the grip of his sword as best as he could, and then he grunted, lifting himself from the ground and kicking the dragon's arm where his _Braver_ technique had previously singed it. The dragon once again roared with pain. However, this time, it was ready.

"W-watch out!" the female _Wavemaster_ screamed, climbing to her feet.

Cloud eyed the girl in pink for a mere moment, but it was a… strange moment…

Suddenly, he felt a sharp sting pierce his thoughts against his torso, and the dragon's grand tail threw him down to the ground with a force that was unimaginable. Cloud cried out in pain, gasping for breath as he tried to get up.

The dragon swiftly moved on top of him, surprising Cloud with its velocity. He couldn't believe how fast such a bulky creature was moving. It wasn't like a typical monster…

The dragon snarled, and then Cloud flinched, gasping and shrieking as he felt something _sharp_ dig into his flesh.

"Uh…. Uh…." Cloud mumbled. Red… fluid… blood… whatever it was called, he couldn't remember… the pain was crippling… his chest… the dragon's… claws…

"_Meteor!_" the female Wavemaster screamed. It was the last thing Cloud heard before his world went black.

"_Curaga!_"

…

Seconds later, Cloud was revived. He blinked hard, but then felt a tug on his hand. It told him to "get up".

"_Come on!_" a girl's voice urged. "You don't want to be _Data Drained_, do you?"

Cloud groggily lumbered to his feet, not quite sure what he was feeling. Was it exhaustion? Pain? He couldn't think clearly… He couldn't remember…

'_Oh. Right. Death._'

Suddenly, a hard slap in his face woke him up completely. His eyes widened as he stared at a bitter-looking Wavemaster in front of him.

"I revived you for a reason, kid!" she snapped, her brown eyes looking frantic and angry, "So get the hell up and _fight!_"

Cloud caught something in her eyes… It was…

The sound of a roaring monster doubled with the beast's swinging dragon tail made Cloud's thoughts go away, and be replaced by a hard, burning fuel for revenge. Cloud instinctively grabbed the female Wavemaster's arms and pushed her on the ground, making sure that both of them were ducking as the dragon monster's tail passed overhead, a couple of inches away from cutting their faces.

'_That's ENOUGH._'

Cloud jumped to his feet and brandished his sword, driven by an animalistic force from the inside.

"_DIE!_"

With that, he raced at the demon.

As soon as he was back in his zone, Cloud noticed the creature's paw—the one he had stabbed through. It was healed, without the trace of his attack.

'_What the hell?_'

Cloud gritted his teeth and stopped in his tracks, slugging his blade around and catching the dragon's moving tail with its lip. He groaned, fighting the strength of the monster's tail. It was strong, matching Cloud's own strength…

'_But I'm a high-leveled character!_' Cloud thought, '_and a Heavy Blade-class! This… THING shouldn't be able to match my strength…_'

He screamed with rage, and his sword cut straight through the monster's tail. The dragon cried out with pain, and aggressively lunged forward, aiming for Cloud's torso with its sharp, black claws.

Cloud, however, was too quick for it. He caught _The World's _sun reflecting on the sharp, black digits, and he knew he had a chance to strike.

'_If it isn't like a normal monster…_'

He placed his blade directly in front of him, closing his eyes and crouching in order to brace for the impact. The monster's claws caught the flat side of his blade, and as Cloud struggled to hold his ground against the pushing arm of the dragon, he muttered.

"_Cross-Slash._"

The dragon let out a groan of pain as its hand broke, sliced into pieces by Cloud's sword technique. Its whine seemed… real.

However, as soon as its data faded from the game, Cloud noticed something… His blue eyes widened with shock. The hand was growing back, even as Cloud's sword touched the tip of the monster's now-useless arm.

Shaken, but not deterred, Cloud narrowed his eyes again, determined to make sure that the monster would not have a chance to slash at him again.

'_If it isn't like a normal monster… then I can't fight like a normal player._'

"Taming Sword!"

The dragon screeched one final time as Cloud summoned the entirety of his strength and plunged his sword deep, deep into the beast's head. It was a finishing move.

Cloud thought he felt something stir behind him. The grip he had on his heavy sword tightened, turning his knuckles white, and he groaned, swiveling his sword around while it was still inside of the monster.

A low, sad melody churned from the monster's destructing body as its data wisped all around Cloud. The swishing-about that Cloud was incorporating into his killing technique was causing the monster's data to part way like most monsters' wouldn't. It was a special way to finish off the special beast.

'_It's not like a normal monster,_' Cloud realized, '_it's different. It… scared me._'

Black smoke flew around the green plains, signifying that peace had returned once again to the area.

Tifa struggled to get up, having just caught her breath. She dug her hands into the earth, feeling the warm ground below her. It was… the same. Nothing had happened. Nothing had changed. She looked up to see Cloud and make sure that he was all right.

Cloud wasn't looking at her, but at the woman behind him. It was the female Wavemaster.

"Thank you," she said coolly.

With that, she turned away, and stepped away from Cloud.

Tifa saw Cloud's blue eyes expand and his mouth drop a little. He desperately stepped forward and put out his hand. "Wait!" he exclaimed.

The woman hesitated, then turned to him and looked at the boy with her cold, cold brown eyes.

"What?"

Cloud didn't reply right away. For a few moments, he stared into her eyes. Then, he said, "You didn't tell me your name…" His voice was low and quiet… _Shy_, even.

The Wavemaster sneered.

"I'm Aerith. Goodbye."

With that, she disappeared under some rings of light, having teleported back to the Server City of Dun Loireag. Cloud gasped and stepped forward once again, trying to catch her with his hand, but… she was gone.

After a moment, Cloud's disappointment seemed to clear away, and his mouth curled into a small, cute smile.

'_He doesn't look so tired, anymore_,' Tifa realized.

…

END.


	2. Garland

"**Black Chapter"**

By Paperkut-98

**You may send me an email at black underscore chapter at hotmail dot com if you have questions about the storyline. I do not own Dot Hack, Final Fantasy (7, 9, 10), or Inuyasha, nor am I affiliated with either franchise in any way, except as a fan. I am making no profit from this story. Nobody may reproduce this piece unless they have permission from me, the author. Thank you!**

**WARNING: This story contains very small _yaoi_ and M/F content. You have been warned. Also, it is set in the "Dot Hack" universe. I suggest you know the concept of that franchise, since the story could be confusing otherwise. Thank you!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Finally, it's time for the second chapter! I'm happy you're still with me here. Last time, only three characters were introduced: Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. This time, SIX characters will join the cast. Don't worry, since this group of nine will be the core cast for a time to come. You will meet a friend of Tifa's, a friend of Aerith's, and three other characters who… well, you'll see. Once again, feel free to email me if you have any questions. I hope you enjoy my story!**

**Thank you for reading! Have fun!**

…

_It was a long time ago, when the boy stopped caring._

_He was now nineteen. High school had been enough of a bother for him, so instead of going to college, he decided to spend all his time focusing on what he wanted most._

_And that happened to be 'The World'._

_The boy had been playing for years now. Sometimes it seemed as though he didn't live in the real world anymore. All that was important to him was playing the game. Gaining levels, raising beasts, fighting enemies… It was all part of his hopes and dreams._

_He didn't work. He didn't learn. Even his parents had given up on him, when they admitted their son—19 years old, and more involved with a game than his own life—was a failure. Despite his mother's persistent admonition and advice; despite his father's belittling looks which burnt with pity and judgment; the boy had simply stopped caring about the real world. He was shut inside a game, which he rarely turned off on any given day… unless he was tired. Or hungry._

_Yet the boy was not without his share of concerns and worries. Sure, his parents were providing for him, since he obviously held no interest in providing for himself. But the game… The game was what bothered him._

_He had run out of monsters to conquer. He had no more levels to gain. The invincible "99"-th level was **his**, and it had been so for some time now._

_The game that had offered him so much life over the past years was now dwindling into something he merely played out of habit. Sadly, but surely, he was losing interest in the barren 'World' he had all but conquered…._

…_until he met **Him**._

_He was a mysterious Axeman character, with an ominous voice, and cold eyes—the commander of a great online empire no one had ever seen before—who rekindled the boy's interest in the game… by giving him something new to conquer._

_His name was Garland. When the boy first met him, he had been playing with his old character file (a Twin Blade renowned for his status as a playful online sociopath, PK'ing without remorse and usually with a smirk), and it was his near-celebrity status that attracted Garland to the boy in the first place._

_Garland himself was a massive character. He stood at least nine feet tall, with thick, powerful limbs inside a well-crafted suit of black, foreboding armor. He seemed a hellish demon trapped inside the form of a simple game character; his eyes burned with a yellow, amber glow that reached far beyond a computer screen, from one's worst nightmares; his pale skin masked the burning darkness below, which manifested itself in his gritty, bellowing voice, and in the way which he commanded the full attention of all twenty characters—be them Wavemasters, Heavy Blades, Gunners, or otherwise—that bowed down to him around the chamber in which the boy had been brought to._

_The Area he was in was unmarked by the public Chaos Gate mostly used by travelers to visit new locations. Instead, he had been captured while on a field—hunting some newbies in a game of Cat & Mouse (which they weren't aware of playing)—by three of the soldiers who called Garland "Sir" and nothing less. Against his will, yet peaking his interest, the boy's character had been brought through an illegal portal conjured up by these magical hackers._

_Something about the formality of the clan residing inside this dungeon intrigued the young man. He had never heard of a clan that was able to create its own Area and go unnoticed by the Council of System Administrators. He was also sure that this was not an Event, because most Event characters could not be slain… and, well, only two of the three men who brought him here were still around to see what would happen next._

_Sensing that this was the golden ticket he required to renew purpose in the game, the boy asked Garland why he had brought him here._

_The lord gave him only a cryptic answer… but from it, the boy was impressed._

"_You are here for a trade… My power, for your services."_

_By the end of their first meeting, the boy had learned that Garland's men had been tracking him for some time now, and were very impressed by his mastery of the game. Garland himself was in need of players such as the boy—players who could perform certain "tasks" that most players couldn't. Players who could kill without leaving a mark; who could win wars, without having an army; who could do **anything**… and do it **well**._

_But Garland and his men required discretion. As far as the young man could tell, there was a very good reason why they were hiding away in a castle Area that could not be found otherwise: they didn't want to get caught._

_They were… Well, it didn't matter to the boy. He didn't care about what they did in real life, or even how they brought that aspect of their lives in to the game. All he cared was what they needed him for._

_In payment for his services, the boy would receive a new rule under which to play the game by. This rule was "Carte blanche". Whatever he wanted, he could now have…_

…_because he was a brand new character: the silver knight of Garland, who wielded a blade found in no other Area and was given a level unsurpassed by any regular player—the illegal level "Zero", one that could only be achieved by hacking. His weapon was the long, slender blade of unmatched strength, a flashy weapon he lovingly christened as "Masamune" after feeling its handle in his grasp. He was no longer bored..._

_He was now Sephiroth._

…

Tifa had just logged in. She had experienced a _long_ day at work, and was eagerly looking forward to her weekly hangout time with Cloud… _especially_ after the bizarre events of last week.

She still wondered who that curt Wavemaster really was. Mostly, she wondered about the strange, black creature Cloud had been forced to kill. It had been so rough and violent with them last week—_too _rough and violent. It was weird, since black, dangerous creatures weren't announced on the BBS as being part of an Event or anything.

Secretly, Tifa figured it was just a programming error that one of the higher-ups had made, but she knew she would still feel a lot better if she knew for sure what was going on.

She took another step on the grassy walkway of _Dun Loireag _when she saw Cloud's face amongst a small group of gamers gathered around the nearby _Elf's Haven_.

"_Cloud!_"

The Heavy Blade looked up, with curious blue eyes. When he saw the young woman beckoning to him, he sighed very softly, so no one would hear it.

"_Cloud! _I'm over here!" Tifa enthusiastically yelled. Cloud finished saving his progress. He had spent the past four hours investigating not just the Area he and Tifa had visited last week, but also waiting around in the Root Town they were both in now, and also some neighboring Areas… just in case…

He walked to Tifa, and they stood facing each other as she cheerfully smiled. He did his best to smile back.

"Cloud, I've been looking for you!" Tifa exclaimed. "I thought you may have been busy or something, and missed our plans!"

Cloud softly bit his lower lip. "Um… I've been online for a while. Sorry, I was busy and didn't notice when you had logged in."

Tifa felt confused. "Really? I've been—oh well. I only just logged in, so I can't blame you." Her confused frown transformed back into a happy smile.

"So!" she burst, energetically. "Let's go check out a new Area today! I'm dying to find those rare glove weapons we were searching for last time!"

Cloud made no reply. He was chewing on his lower lip, looking as though he was far away from where he and Tifa stood right now.

Tifa noticed something was wrong… and immediately knew what that "something" was.

"Cloud…?" she asked, with a small hint of jealousy in her voice. "You're not thinking about… _her,_ are you?"

Cloud met her gaze, timidly. "You mean Aerith?"

Tifa felt like making a fist. "Yeah," she said stonily. "I mean _her._"

Cloud hesitated. He could sense the envy Tifa was feeling towards Aerith. It made him uncomfortable to think that Tifa was comparing herself to the other woman… It wasn't like she had any reason to be jealous. Cloud could think of Aerith if he wanted to. He didn't need anybody's permission.

"Yeah," he answered. "I've been looking for her, actually…"

After he said this, he felt sorry due to the hurt and shock in Tifa's expression.

"Cl-Cloud!" she exclaimed. "I…" Quickly, she made a recovery. "Hey, do you know how pointless that is? _Millions _of people play this game! It would be a miracle if you just happened to run into her by chance, you know!"

Cloud sheepishly nodded.

'_Why is she always so emotional…?'_

"I know," he admitted. "But… I guess… I just want to keep searching. What if I do find her?"

Before he could let Tifa take those words injuriously, he quickly added, "Wouldn't _you _have a ton of questions for her, too?"

Tifa looked at the honest blue eyes in front of her, and realized he was right. She let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"Yeah, I guess," she mumbled. It was true; the mysterious Wavemaster had left a lot to the imagination during their previous encounter. Firstly, why would a Wavemaster be out alone? Their magic was meant to support a team of stronger characters, not to provide power as a soloist. Furthermore, why had she been so quick to dismiss Cloud, and so calm about the dark dragon's onslaught? Not even Tifa could deny how suspicious Aerith had seemed.

"So… why don't we hang out later?" Cloud asked, interrupting Tifa's thoughts.

Tifa looked up at him, wide-eyed. "O—okay…" she said, not entirely processing this.

He was _rejecting _her.

"Okay then," Cloud said. He gave her a small smile, and nodded as a sign of farewell. "Goodbye."

"G-goodbye…" Tifa stammered. With that, Cloud turned heel and walked away to the nearby Chaos Gate.

Tifa stood, feeling foolish, for a half-minute when a gentle hand touched her shoulder.

"Hiya, kiddo. What's new?"

Tifa thankfully turned around, and gave a big hug to the man that had greeted her. He grunted with surprise as she gleefully flung her arms around his powerful chest.

"Oh, _Cid!"_ she exclaimed. "I'm so happy you're here!"

The man chuckled. With a gloved hand, he patted the girl on her back. "Take it easy, sweetheart. Why're ya so happy to see me? It's only been a couple a weeks…"

Tifa stopped hugging him, and looked up into his old, ruggedly handsome face.

The expressive brown puppy eyes told him all he needed to know. "Okay," he grinned, "what'd Blondie do now?"

Tifa pouted.

…

About a minute later, Cid was all caught up on the story of Aerith, Tifa's encounter with a dark dragon, and how Cloud had ditched Tifa to go search for a needle in a haystack.

"I ain't gonna lie to you," Cid said gently as the duo was sitting, cross-legged, on a tuft of green plain overlooking the cloudy depths of the _Dun Loireag_ atmosphere. "It sounds like Blondie's got an infatuation with this girl."

Cid's character avatar was somewhat older than most players—about early-40's or so—but he was extremely handsome. He had sandy, healthy-looking blonde hair, and a pair of piercing blue eyes that could be intimidating, or gentle and safe. He was tall, with the prowess of a confident warrior, and he wore a cozy blue jacket over a white shirt that clung to his well-built chest and ripened muscles like a wet wife beater. His frayed jeans and five o'clock shadow further added to his rugged good looks, as well as the sturdy leather shoes he had on. It was difficult to believe that such a strong-looking man could be as agile as he was in battle, when he wielded his long spear, the "Highwind", to cut through enemies like butter.

Cid and Tifa had met a long time ago, and Tifa had been learning from the veteran player about a lot of things—the game, but life, too. He was wise, and seemed to protect Tifa with his advice and fatherly wisdom. Tifa enjoyed his company, and felt safe when he was around.

Cid flicked a blade of grass off the tuft, and it flittered down into the clouds, soon disappearing from view. "But ya gotta admit," he grunted, "the boy's got no reason to stay away from her. She sounds pretty weird, after all." He broke into a devilish smile. "Maybe that's just his type?"

Tifa scowled, and playfully smacked Cid's left arm. "Stop kidding around," she scolded. She nervously rubbed a new blade of grass, and stared at the green ground around her. Despite the gentle setting of where she was right now, she still felt uneasy.

"It makes no sense," she muttered softly. "I… I'm so upset, and all over a girl I barely know!"

Cid looked at her, somewhat surprised.

She looked up, with her wide, chocolaty eyes. "I mean, he only met her once, and they were in battle, and she's a creep, and—_What!"_

The look in Cid's eyes was somehow insulting to her.

Cid chuckled with his gritty, drawling voice. "I'm just shocked to hear ya doubtin' your own logic," he teased. "Usually, _I'm _the one who gives you the advice, but this time you're smartenin' up on yer own…"

"Oh, you're _awful!_" Tifa giggled. She playfully smacked Cid a little harder. He winced, and rubbed his arm.

"Ouch, that hurts ya know!" he said, somewhat jokingly. But… he wasn't the only one making just _half-_hearted comments.

Tifa looked away, into the distance, peering into the abyss in which Cid's blade of grass had disappeared. Nervously, she pinched the blade she had been fondling out of the earth, and lightly tossed it down to the same cloudy sky…

'_I **know** it's dumb to be jealous of Aerith,'_ Tifa thought.

The blade silently vanished into the wispy, white expanse of bottomless heavens.

'…_I think."_

…

Warnings could be delivered at any time… a lesson that the rurounin, Auron, was learning the hard way.

A certain "silver knight" had appeared while Auron was scouting a grassy Area for signs of his nemesis. Little to the wandering Heavy Blade's knowledge, it was the same Area that Sephiroth had been abducted from in the first place, and recruited by Garland to perform "tasks"… tasks like warning Auron to back off.

"You have no need to follow his orders!" Auron shouted, as steel clashed with Masamune.

Sephiroth snickered. His new frame was light, giving him a speed and agility that he had never before experienced. The only challenge in learning to master his new character data was to use the length of the Masamune sword to its best potential.

It was a challenge he was rather enjoying.

Auron grunted as Sephiroth flayed his long blade, striking the dark steel of Auron's clunkier weapon as he positioned it, tip-first, against the ground. His stance was defensive; Sephiroth figured this was in his best interest, as any character capable of making an actual lunge with a blade the sheer mass of Auron's had to have a lot of strength to back it up.

So, as long as Sephiroth stayed on the offensive, he was confident Garland's message would get delivered just fine.

Auron yelped as Sephiroth playfully whipped his steel against the dark-haired man's arm, kissing the flesh of his ripped, hardened muscle to leave a "beauty mark" that shone with red blood.

"How dare you judge me!" Sephiroth mocked, in an airy tone. His eyes shone with amusement as Auron's dark, coal-like orbs showed nothing but a deep intensity as he struggled to overcome the pain Sephiroth had inflicted upon him.

"Y-You have no idea what that man is capable of!" Auron roared. He began to pick his blade out of the ground—but stopped when Sephiroth darted in between Auron and the weapon.

The movement was lightning-fast, and Auron barely had time to register it. Sephiroth grabbed Auron's wrist with one hand, and tightened his grip to a bone-crunching force. Auron shouted in pain, and instantly lost control of his grip on the weapon he was holding. Sephiroth used his second hand and flung his Masamune against the nape of the older man's neck. He gazed at Auron with a cool, icy stare that fixed the man with a chill.

"_No idea?_" Sephiroth sneered. He watched as Auron tried to struggle, but when pushing Sephiroth away, the silver knight only menacingly edged his sword further against the man's neck, drawing a sharp gasp of fear as a thin, red mark appeared on the swordsman's threatened flesh.

Sephiroth's eyes darted down to get a better look at Auron's _zweihander_-style sword. It was perhaps the biggest Heavy Blade weapon he had ever seen. Auron was obviously no newbie inside 'The World'. His battle moves, while paling in comparison to Sephiroth's, were well seasoned, and it obviously took a trained hand to wield a weapon like Auron's. Sephiroth thought it was a shame that a player with so much promise was acting out against Garland because it meant they were fighting under a contract. There was a lot of legitimacy lost, under the circumstances.

But… a deal was a deal. And Sephiroth was not about to let up on his end of the bargain.

"That's a nice sword you have there… _Auron,_" Sephiroth hissed, his eyes gleaming with a deadly burn. He gave Auron's deep, mahogany eyes a chilling, wicked smile. "Would you like to tell me what it's called?"

Auron continued to gasp for breath. It shamed him, but Sephiroth's battle tactics were starting to… _frighten_ him.

Sephiroth closed his eyes, and his mouth curled into a taut frown. "I asked you a _question_," he muttered. "It's rude to ignore people, Auron."

"It—it is no business of yours," Auron defiantly spat back.

Sephiroth chuckled. Garland had warned him that Auron would be tough to crack. Even in the face of such pressure—a blade held to his neck, and his wrist nearly useless, unable to help him wield his weapon properly—he was struggling to maintain his calm.

With that, Sephiroth whispered, "I know what it's called, old geezer."

Auron sputtered as Sephiroth slid his blade across his prey's neck, making sure to leave a pretty scar against the warm skin, but not so much as to slit the throat.

He eased out of Auron's path, and stepped peacefully away, a light smile splayed on his face. "It's the _Guardian,_ right?"

Auron clutched his throat, breathing roughly as a few stray drops of his own blood fell to the Area's green grass below his feet. Never before had he met such a arrogant fighter…

Sephiroth swiveled around, his handsome, pale face shining with the glory of blood thirst after a successful hunt. "I know all about you," he smirked. "Garland told me everything. Including how you—"

"_Shut up,"_ the intense, dark-haired man snarled. He angrily bit his lip to work through the pain, picking up his weapon and brandishing it once again, despite the sharp throb in his injured wrist.

'_The fool,'_ Sephiroth thought. '_He never gives up, does he?'_ He admired Auron's tenacity, but would not allow his pride to be injured by Auron's will to survive.

He was about to finish their duel when a sudden, sharp throb entered the back of his head. With a mangled cry, he was thrown to the ground by the force of whatever was attacking him.

Auron's deep eyes darted quickly to several feet behind Sephiroth's crumpled body, where a second silvery-hair was standing.

This man had the skin of a snowflake, with haunting, yet strangely not menacing, yellow eyes. His lips were soft and his neckline long; in fact, his entire body had a feminine, graceful air to it. Auron _couldn't_ believe that somebody like that had the strength to knock down a juggernaut like Sephiroth…?

Yet the man was holding one of the most fascinating swords Auron had ever seen. It was crescent-shaped, with a long, silver edge on the innermost part on the sword. It was obviously not a melee weapon, as the tooth was clearly made for hacking, and not striking. But the blade had a long reach, and seemingly rivaled Sephiroth's, at first glance.

The silent Blademaster waited patiently as Sephiroth shakily stood on his own two feet, clutching his Masamune, Auron saw, with a whitened fist.

"Who… who _was_ that?" Sephiroth asked, clearly surprised by the sudden blow to his skull. He caught Auron's fascinated gaze towards the mysterious swordsman behind them.

Sephiroth turned, slowly, and met the newcomer's seemingly apathetic eyes. His lips curled into a sneer.

"Well," Sephiroth said, "It looks like you brought company, Auron. So, is Pretty Boy here really the one who knocked me over?"

The silent Blademaster made no expression. He did, however, raise his blade a few inches, to let Sephiroth know he was ready for battle.

Sephiroth cackled. "You _must_ be kidding me! You think you can beat _me?_" He laughed heartily, and then gave a sudden jerk with his sword.

His voice dropped to a low, threatening growl, and he whispered, "_Bring it on._"

There was a sudden burst of light out of the newcomer's blade, and when he spoke, his voice was frail, but stern.

"_Thunder Blade!_"

With a swift swipe through the air, crescent-shaped beams of lightning shot from the sword, and launched themselves at Sephiroth with fierce intentions. Sephiroth grinned, and gave the Blademaster a cocky wink before he even took action.

"_Reflega!_" he shouted. Suddenly, a pink shield emblazoned his body, and his opponent's electric-based attack sizzled as it struck Sephiroth's shield—just to ricochet back towards the mysterious warrior.

The newcomer wasted no time, however; in a flash, he gracefully rolled to the side. The lightning attack crashed harmlessly against the land, sending blades of grass everywhere, as well as creating a small cloud of dirt in the air.

Auron was amazed at the warrior's natural grace and speed. Sephiroth was an obvious cheater; his stats were through the roof. But this newcomer had clearly worked hard to get to where he was now, and it was showing. He ran towards Sephiroth with uncanny speed, not even blinking as he approached his target with a blank look on his face.

Sephiroth cockily stood in place, waiting for his opponent to reach him. Auron recognized the maniacal, arrogant look in his eyes, and knew he had a plan in store for the newcomer.

"_Fire!_" Auron quickly shouted. Of course, his wrist was too weak to properly use his sword, yet he could still help with the few magic spells he knew. He cupped his hands together, and a gathering of flames flickered against his palms. Cradling his injured wrist with one hand, he launched the fiery blast towards Sephiroth, hoping it would throw the bastard off so his new ally could land a hit…

Instead, Sephiroth merely guided his hand behind his back, and the same pink shield that had expelled the stranger's _Thunder Blade_ absorbed Auron's spell, and shot it back at the stoic, dark-haired warrior.

He quickly threw a robed arm in front of his face, and hoped for the best. Luckily, his red robe—a useful piece of equipment he used for defensive purposes—absorbed the brunt of the attack. However, some fire still licked at his already wounded shoulder, charring the bloody flesh there. He gasped with pain, and clenched his shoulder with a strong hand. Geez, how much more injury would he have to endure before the battle was over?

As effortlessly as Sephiroth had guided his hand to deflect Auron's spell, he reached out not two seconds later and grabbed the newcomer's cuff as soon as he had gotten close enough. Sephiroth then leaped into the air.

It was as though, for one incredulous moment, gravity gave way, and Sephiroth seemed to flip, flying over the third man's shoulders and then letting go of his cuff. He was beginning to turn through the air, a peaceful smile on his face as he enjoyed every moment of his glorious flip, his hand getting ready to poke his Masamune through the other man's torso and rip him to shreds, when…

The mysterious newcomer brought his sword up in an arc, as though he was swatting at a fly, and a moment later, earned a panicked scream as his blade drew blood from a deep gash it formed in Sephiroth's back.

The less-than-graceful messenger hit the ground on his feet, through much effort, but staggered backward. His eyes were wide with shock—how had his enemy moved so fast, and struck so cleanly? His back was now bleeding… If he didn't heal himself quickly, he would surely lose too much blood, and then he would have to reload his file and start all over again…

His eyes turned venomous. Auron watched with pure, unadulterated _shock_ as the third man stood, silent, with his back turned to the silver knight.

Sephiroth now realized that he didn't stand a chance against this man. Not really. Despite his first impressions, the guy was _powerful_. And this _infuriated _Sephiroth.

He gritted his teeth, and then glared a hole through Auron.

"_Stay away from Garland!_" he screamed. And then he disappeared.

…

Only two men were left in that Area after Sephiroth left: the silent stranger, and Auron.

It was the stranger who spoke first.

"You know of Garland?"

His tone was surprised, which made Auron second-guess his opinion of the warrior. Based on his cool, collected manner in combat, he had suspected the man of being unfeeling, or apathetic. But it seemed as though Garland could strike a chord even within the strongest of people.

"Yes," Auron whispered, bitterly. "Unfortunately."

The stranger held Auron's gaze for a long while. It was rare that people often looked Auron straight in the eyes—not just because of the black sunglasses Auron wore, a look that he felt helped him blend in more inside the game—but because his eyes were so… _hard_; so deep… so _harshened_.

Auron didn't trust anyone. He never told people why he was playing the game, or about his past. But when this man held Auron's gaze, something stirred within him. He could tell that he could trust this younger man.

Because he recognized, from the look in this man's eyes, that he had been hurt by Garland too.

Auron cleared his throat, which was still sore from being cut by Sephiroth. "I am looking for Garland," he said, his voice intense, but very smooth. "He is playing this game too. That man was an agent of his. Garland knows that I am looking for him."

The silvery-hair looked down at the ground, seemingly contemplating something deeply. Auron gave him a moment, and then relented.

"I… cannot hope to attain the kind of power you have," he admitted. He felt weak, begging like this… "And I can tell by the way you looked when you asked about Garland—"

"I know," the man interrupted. Auron looked up, his embarrassed brown eyes meeting a pair of softly understanding yellow ones. The eyes flickered with the type of resolve Auron had been hoping for… _praying_ for.

"You have a plan?" the man asked suddenly.

Auron nodded. "I do," he responded.

The stranger crossed the distance between them, and then planted his blade into the earth. His eyes were strong, and his expression was one of readiness. "And I have the power you will need to take him down?"

Auron followed suite, plowing his own blade deep into the ground with his current good hand. He then stuck that hand out in a comfortable gesture.

"I am Auron," he said simply, eyeing the stranger with his judgmental gaze... Still, he found no sign of an untrustworthy spirit lurking behind those soft, yellow eyes.

"I am Sesshomaru," the man said, taking the wounded warrior's hand.

The men shook, and their alliance began.

…

Two unlikely friends were together, perched on the quiet peak of a long series of walkways leading throughout the darkened, cultural city of _Carmina Gadelica._ The city was a Root Town for one of the more advanced servers of 'The World', housing a Chaos Gate that led to several strong Areas, and featuring a community of powerful warriors and keen treasure hunters.

Aerith was leaning on her palms, which were perched on the ledge of the peak, and gazing across the harbor. She admired the view around her; it was so peaceful here. She loved _Carmina Gadelica._ It was such a busy, bustling Area, where she could go to just… drift away. It was hard _not_ to get caught up in the busy activities of the city…

…. Even with the disaster that was quickly approaching 'The World', casting its shadows around them.

Beside her, stooped on the actual ledge of the walkway itself, was the mysterious Gunner, Valentine. This dark-haired, pale-skinned mystery was Aerith's only true friend within 'The World'. He was dressed almost entirely in black, with the exception of some blood-red portions on his uniform, and the almost glowing crimson eyes that peered out at a world that didn't even understand who he was. At first glance, anyone could tell Valentine looked dangerous; the Gunner, however, had a soft side, and it was this side that made him Aerith's friend.

It was the other side—the one that brandished dual pistols and a will to _kill_—that made him Aerith's confidante amidst the confusing mess they found themselves a part of.

Aerith sighed lightly, blowing through her cute, pink lips. There were no breezes on this harbor; the water only shimmered with the never-dying lights of the city above it, reflecting a world that lived and breathed only to serve gamers and the like.

It was pretty, in a superficial way.

Aerith sighed heavily again, tilting her head to look up at her friend, who was busy watching her in silence.

She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

Valentine looked away, and whistled a short tune.

Aerith giggled.

He turned back, this time speaking. "It looks like there's something on your mind."

Aerith watched Valentine with a fascination. He always had a way of telling what was going on. He was deeply perceptive.

'_But he **never** talks about what's on **his** mind…' _Aerith thought.

"Oh, you know…" Aerith said. She sounded tired, as she turned back to look at the harbor again. The water seemed to glow, like it was celebrating her misery. So, she stuck her tongue out at it.

"Now, young lady," Valentine smirked. "What did I say about picking on the city waters?"

Aerith made no response.

Valentine frowned, underneath the cloth that hid his pale lips. His crimson eyes fixed upon her. "You're still thinking about Garland, aren't you." It was a statement, not a question.

Aerith rolled her eyes, and let her strawberry-brown hair spill through her fingers. "What do I _ever_ think about, anymore?"

Valentine looked off into the distance. His posture was crouched, but there was elegance to his frame that made him seem wise, and graceful. He said, "I wish I could share your opinions, Aerith. We might have more to talk about then."

Aerith simply grunted into her hands.

Valentine's eyes searched the starry night sky. He was almost vampiric—a dark, brooding figure of the night, searching for answers with his crimson orbs.

"But I don't care about Garland. I only care about what he's doing to 'The World'… _My _world."

Aerith waited a moment. The silence between the two was friendly, not tense. That was a thing she liked about Valentine.

'_He doesn't pry,_' she realized. '_We just… talk. We don't ask each other too many questions._' It was more comfortable that way.

"But don't you think," she said slowly, precariously, "that if you helped me out with him, it would lead to hints about—"

"No."

"Grrr," she mumbled half-heartedly.

Valentine smirked once again. His pale, satin face looked boyishly handsome when he gave a rare sign of happiness to the world around him. The smirk faded, though. "You're really driven by your thoughts of revenge, aren't you?"

Aerith's wide, pretty eyes flashed with annoyance. "I am not!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, you—"

"Am not!" she whined.

Valentine smiled. Their cute bickering was _one _way to kill time.

Here was another.

He leaped to the ground, and faced her solemnly. "Aerith, you need to tell everything about what you saw last week," he said.

While it was true that the two friends enjoyed each other's company, they had only met today to trade information. "I was wondering when you'd ask," Aerith admitted.

Her tone dropped a few notches, as business began. Valentine listened intently as she spoke, staring out at the open expanse over the dark city waters.

"'The Wave' has spread to Lambda Server," she told him. "I fought a Wave dragon there, in a random Area. I was hoping to just deal with it and Gate Out, but…"

Valentine shook his head. "I'm sorry I was offline," he told her. "You're a Wavemaster. You're not supposed to deal with strong monsters alone."

Aerith shook her head, her long hair bouncing against her shoulders. "But I wasn't alone," she revealed "I had company."

Valentine felt intrigued as she continued, "A male Heavy Blade with spiky blonde hair, and a long-haired, brunette Fighter helped me out. The Fighter was knocked out, but the Heavy Blade… He… he…"

Her voice trailed off. For some reason, she couldn't continue. It was as though her mind had reached a blank.

Valentine looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. "Aerith? Are you okay?"

Aerith gently massaged her neck, and sighed again. "I'm sorry," she said. "I-I'm really tired, Valentine." She paused, and then continued her story.

"The Heavy Blade—his name was Cloud. He had talent. I don't think he was very high-leveled, but he managed to kill that Wave monster without getting Data Drained. I healed him, of course, but still…"

Valentine gritted his teeth, and looked back over the harbor. "_Damn,_" he cursed. "It's already starting to hurt the others."

Aerith gave Valentine a small, hopeful look. "Well, I don't think many players have went into comas lately," she offered.

Valentine didn't budge. "What bothers me," he said, "is that these monsters don't leave behind any traces. It's impossible to learn anything about them. How are we supposed to fight an enemy with no weakness?"

Aerith didn't reply.

In her mind, she was remembering how Cloud had nearly sacrificed everything, just to save her. She wondered briefly how stupid he was—risking it all to fight a monster when he could have easily Gated Out of the Area and saved himself.

Of course, he was probably just trying to be a hero, Aerith thought. '_Yeah, that's it…'_

"Valentine?" she suddenly said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you… do you think it's really possible to stop this?"

Valentine hesitated. Then, he said, "I don't know, Aerith. Really, I don't know."

Aerith sighed one last time. "You're more depressing than Christmas."

"Just doing my best."

Aerith shook her head. "Nah, I don't believe that." She stood up straight, and stopped leaning on her hands. "I don't think either of us are doing our best. If we were, this would be over already."

Valentine was about to tell her not to be so hard on herself when he heard her walk away.

"Where are you going, Aerith?"

The female Wavemaster turned back to him. "I'm going to go to _Dun Loireag_."

The harbor was still celebrating. It pissed her off.

…

Cloud was about to give up when he decided to return to the Root Town _one _last time.

Exhausted, he stepped out of the Chaos Gate. He had gained an entire level just looking for Aerith today, but so far, he hadn't seen her yet.

His body was sore, and his mind was tired of thinking up strategies to kill monsters with. His sword had been soaked with blood (of course, all his weaponry was instantly cleaned as soon as he returned to a Root Town, just like his injuries were healed, clothes were returned to perfect condition, dirt was removed, etc.) and his feet had traveled many miles, all in pursuit of that one girl.

He sighed, unhappily. '_Aerith… Where could you be…?'_

…Which made him _that _much more surprised when he saw her ten feet away, staring at him in shock, on the grassy paths of _Dun Loireag_.

…

END

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	3. Limits

"**Black Chapter"**

By Paperkut-98

**You may send me an email at black underscore chapter at hotmail dot com if you have questions about the storyline. I do not own Dot Hack, Final Fantasy (7, 9, 10), or Inuyasha, nor am I affiliated with either franchise in any way, except as a fan. I am making no profit from this story. Nobody may reproduce this piece unless they have permission from me, the author. Thank you!**

**WARNING: This story contains very small _yaoi_ and M/F content. You have been warned. Also, it is set in the "Dot Hack" universe. I suggest you know the concept of that franchise, since the story could be confusing otherwise. Thank you!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's been a while since I last updated, but today felt like a great day to write the third installment of this story. So, here you go! I've noticed I haven't received many reviews for this piece, which I suppose is to be expected… After all, there must be hundreds of _.hack _fanfics claiming to be pretty amazing. But this one is certainly the best you will ever read! …LOL, hopefully!**

**Any ways, thank you for reading! Have fun!**

…

Cloud stopped dead in his tracks, and his mouth dropped open.

Of _all_ the ways he had imagined seeing her again, he had never imagined he would find her so effortlessly, in a place as common as a Root Town. The instances were so _un-_amazing that he wondered if he was really seeing her or not.

But there she was, completely unhidden. She was simply walking along a grassy path, looking as though she were shopping for supplies like any ordinary player. She didn't even notice him staring at her from just a few feet away.

Cloud swallowed hard. He was still just as intrigued by the sight of her as he had been before…

Collecting his thoughts and fighting all gutlessness, he began walking briskly towards her. His breathing became heavier, and his heart rate quickened. She had such an _amazing_ effect on him… she seemed so _captivating_…

She turned seconds before he approached her, and saw him. Her expression, which had previously been quite normal, turned into one of discomfort. Her lip curled, like she was seeing somebody she really regretted meeting in the first place.

Cloud's heart sank… but still, he persisted.

"Hi," he said, almost shyly.

There was a moment of silence, and then Cloud felt uneasy as a burst of anger flashed into the female Wavemaster's eyes.

"How did you know where to find me?" she demanded. Her voice seemed… paranoid, somehow.

Cloud shrugged, feeling a little insulted by the mistrust in her voice. "I didn't, actually. I just came here… and here you are."

There was another moment of silence as Aerith's eyes swooped over him. He had the feeling of being analyzed, and it was unpleasant. He felt like Aerith looked at him like a _threat_, which contradicted what he wanted her to perceive him as.

Suddenly, the words stammered from his throat before he even thought about them. "I'm sorry."

Aerith's eyes met his, and for one brief minute he felt very intimidated. Her eyes were piercing. He couldn't escape her gaze, although he hated the way she was looking at him. The fire in her eyes was overwhelming… His PC hands began to tremble, and he felt a wave of nerves wash over his freshly wounded ego. It was… _electrifying_.

Suddenly, her lips turned into a pout. And she logged off.

Cloud choked on his words—he wanted to shout, "_No!_" He didn't want her to go away! No matter how badly she might have thought of him, he desperately wanted—no, _needed_—a chance to make a better impression on her. There was something so powerful about the urge, and he just didn't understand _why_…

He scowled with frustration, and shifted onto one leg. '_And what was with the "I'm sorry"?'_ He hadn't meant to say that. What did he have to apologize for? Even if he made her uncomfortable, it was _her_ fault for being so mistrusting…

He sighed. What a strange girl… Still, he could never forget her. This one brief encounter had done nothing to shake his desire to meet her again. Ignoring any common sense he may have had, Cloud regained his posture, and began walking forward.

On a green lane across from the one he was walking along, Tifa stood with her hands on her hips, grimacing as she watched him. She had just witnessed the whole ordeal, and she felt like flipping out! Something about his interaction with that girl made her feel…

She struggled to force a smile. '_That girl is **weird**,'_ she decided. '_I won't let myself be jealous of her.'_

She walked confidently towards Cloud. He took notice of her, and looked up with a preoccupied dimness in his eyes. She wondered if he even knew she was there … or maybe, he was remembering Aerith?

'_Whatever!'_

Tifa flipped her hair, and smiled sweetly at Cloud. "Hey, Cloud! What's up?"

Cloud hesitated. He then blinked, and seemed to gain control of himself again. He focused his eyes on Tifa. "Hey. Not much."

She cocked her head to one side. What _was_ he thinking about?!

Cloud's eyes shifted uncomfortably. "Um…"

"Yes?"

"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" he questioned, sounding uncomfortable.

Tifa hesitated, and then forced a laugh. "Oh, I'm not looking at you weird, am I?" She giggled. "My neck is sore, that's all." She straightened her chin and then smiled.

"It's a great day, huh?"

Cloud said nothing, but mumbled in response. "Mmm."

Tifa grinned. "Hey, guess what?" She gave him a second to reply, but when she heard no response she continued, "I heard about a rare weapon in a dungeon we could access from this Root Town. I know the last time we formed a party it didn't get us the treasure we wanted. But _this_ source is a lot more reliable, and I was thinking we could go check—"

Cloud interrupted. "I don't think so, today, Tifa."

Tifa stopped. "Wh-what?"

Cloud's eyes looked heavy and distant. His mind seemed to be wrapped up in something else. "I think I'm too busy today," he said, sounding not the least bit interested in what she had suggested. He began walking away, slowly and without a second glance at Tifa, "Maybe another time."

Tifa felt crestfallen as it sank in—Cloud didn't want to go anywhere with her because he was preoccupied with Aerith. He had just brushed her off like she wasn't even important…

"Oh… OK," Tifa stammered. Her dispirited voice wasn't even noticed by Cloud, who was still walking away without a look behind.

Maybe… maybe her jealousy _was_ well-based… Tifa looked downward, and fought back an unhappy feeling she didn't want to concentrate on right now. She had better things to do than worry about Aerith… Besides, Cloud was _her_ friend. He would realize, sooner or later, that Aerith was just a weirdo who wasted his time...

'_At least, that's what I **hope**,' _she mused.

…

It was another fun day of exploring his PC's capabilities for Sephiroth when he was called into Garland's chamber for a meeting.

So far, Sephiroth was immensely enjoying his time as Garland's lackey. Firstly, Garland wasn't as demanding as Sephiroth had originally feared. The boy had a lot of freedom to move around _The World_ and complete his own agendas—most of which included making the resident top dogs of the online game a little less _living_. The character of "Sephiroth" was already a notorious PK discussed on the message boards. Thankfully, no one had figured out that his power was the result of an illegal character upgrade, but there was still much speculation as to how such a powerful player suddenly seemed to pop out of nowhere.

Secondly, the tasks Garland sent him on were _fun!_ He got to warn unsuspecting men of various punishments in store for them if they, say, had "disrespected" Garland somehow. These warnings generally included the _Masamune_ ending up in their cold, dead bodies.

Sephiroth quickly learned that Garland was not a well-known player, but when it came to those who knew him, he was _extremely_ feared; Even mentioning his name made certain players freeze up. Having the ability to terrify other PC's even before he drew his weapon gave Sephiroth a little satisfaction. Playing with them after delivering Garland's verbal warning was even more fun!

Sephiroth pursed his lips into a tight, sickly smile. '_I wonder what kind of games Garland will ask me to play now?_'

He strolled past some shadowy guards on either side of the entrance to Garland's chamber, and entered the enormous, dimly-lit room. It was styled to seem like a king's throne room. A lush, red carpet lined the floor from the entrance to the foot of Garland's oak throne, which was elevated by a stone platform. Grey stone lined the rest of the floor, and tall beams supported the ceiling, which was far overhead. It was constantly black and stormy outside, and the windows on both sides of the room reflected this. Navy blue symbols decorated the walls, as though to label the castle "_Emo Kingdom_". Sephiroth noted this with a tighter smile.

Despite the dark, dreary atmosphere of Garland's Castle, Sephiroth felt a thrill every time he stepped inside and walked through its halls. Garland's other followers seemed to have great respect for Sephiroth's skills and his importance to Garland. For some reason, they stopped any hushed conversations they were having, and silenced themselves in his stead. Perhaps it had something to do with the sharp _Masamune_ blade he never tried to conceal from their sight—or maybe Garland had simply notified them that Sephiroth wasn't to be messed with. The reason didn't matter to Sephiroth, but he greatly enjoyed the feeling of being near the top of Garland's hierarchy.

And then, there was the man Garland himself… Sephiroth felt a ting of respect for him any time he thought about it. He seemed like a man with great influence on many people's lives, but with a ton of horrible secrets he kept only to himself. He had already figured out the reason why Garland's existence in _The World_ was kept so hidden, and he imagined that a man with motives like _that_ had to have a rather amazing legacy in the real world, as well as online…

Finally, Sephiroth reached the foot of Garland's throne.

"You sent me a Private Message," he reminded the man, who was sat on his throne before him. He gazed into the deliciously burning yellow eyes of his master. "Do you have any… 'tasks' you would like me to accomplish?"

Garland remained as emotionless as always. He shook his head somberly.

"No," he said, speaking in that booming deep voice that reminded Sephiroth of Satan, from the Bible.

Sephiroth felt a little worried. "Then… what is it?" He briefly wondered if he had done something to piss off this scary, _scary_ man.

Garland continued burning into him with his unchanging eyes. "I have a new power to offer to you," he said, with an icy undertone to his voice that sounded dangerously to Sephiroth like uncertainty.

Sephiroth's eyes flashed with excitement. "A new power?"

Garland nodded. "Yes. It's an ability." His mouth turned into a frown, which injected disturbance into the adrenaline rushing through Sephiroth's excited blood. "However, it's very important that you do not abuse this ability. I am only giving it to you in order to handle the current situation we are in."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed into slits. "You mean the silver-haired man," he muttered.

His battle with Sesshomaru had left a big mark on his ego, and he wasn't going to forgive the Blademaster for besting him in battle. Reporting to Garland that he had lost was a humiliating experience. Luckily, Garland didn't seem to mind. Something about this player's association with Auron, however, seemed to set something off… Sephiroth assumed there was a weakness of Garland's that Auron knew of and planned on exploiting. It was none of Sephiroth's business, though, so he never pried into things.

"That's correct," Garland bellowed. "That threat, in particular, is worthy of this ability's usage… However, I trust you will find many other ways to use it… won't you, PK?"

He announced "PK" in a demeaning way, as though it made Sephiroth seem cheap and simple. Sephiroth sneered.

"I'm sure I can put it to good use," was all he replied with.

Garland chuckled. It was a laugh that would make babies cry, Sephiroth suspected. "My only rule is that you don't leave loose ends after using this ability. Loose ends could start rumors that we don't want System Administration to investigate… do we, PK?"

Sephiroth's sneer tightened. He nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Garland spoke with no expression. "Very good."

With that, he put his palm out, and a sudden burst of light appeared in it. It was fractal code, Sephiroth recognized. It leaped and jumbled around inside Garland's massive palm, shining with an odd light that sharply contrasted the dim surroundings of Garland's throne room. What could it be, Sephiroth wondered?

He had his answer soon enough, after Garland requested he put his wrist inside Garland's palm.

"_Uuuuurrrragggghhhh!_" Sephiroth let out a wild shriek as Garland clamped his hand shut, crushing Sephiroth's wrist inside his clenched fist. The pain was _unbearable!_

"Wh-why would you—" Sephiroth squeaked in agony. However, he soon understood the meaning of Garland's sudden aggression. Garland released his hold on Sephiroth's wrist as the flashing fractal code disappeared, and Sephiroth's arm suddenly felt slightly heavier.

Around his wrist was a bracelet, with strange designs zigzagging across it. It was wrapped tightly around him. All at once, his wrist seemed to fully recover from its recent affliction… and a strange sense of megalomania filled his spirit.

A big, bloodthirsty smile splashed across Sephiroth's face. He stared at the bracelet in amazement, awing at the glorious sensations it filled him with. His eyes then met Garland's, sparkling like a little boy's at his very first baseball game.

"What _is_ this?"

Garland still made no expression.

"It's called _Data Drain_."

…

_The woman's cheeks filled with a rosy, pink flush as she was passed her flowers by the younger woman across from her._

"_They're **so** beautiful!" she fussed, gazing at the pink petals of the beautiful lotus bouquet. "I can hardly imagine what it must be like, working here every day and being surrounded by such pretty flowers…"_

_The younger woman smiled. "Selling flowers pays the rent on this space, I'll admit."_

_The woman glanced up with wide eyes. "Oh yes, but don't you think you would make an even bigger profit if you—"_

"_Opened the doors publicly?" the flower merchant asked, smiling sweetly. The shopper grinned._

"_Yes, I was about to say that," she admitted. "It was sort of a hassle to go through my niece's wedding planner's agency just to track down your ordering log… And then I had to wait a week, just to hear back from you!" She smiled. "I'm sure you must hear this all the time."_

_The merchant nodded. "I do." The two women laughed._

_After a moment, the shopper simply smiled. "It was worth it. I think the work you did for my niece's wedding was **beautiful**… I simply had to have a bouquet like this one to celebrate my ten year anniversary!"_

_The younger woman nodded courteously. "Thank you."_

_Based on the cold stare she was giving her, the shopper suspected that the merchant's business was done; she had left her computer at the front desk only to show her where she could pick up the pink lotuses, and now she wanted her to leave. In fact, she didn't even take payment at this point; Credit card details were given to the agency she worked through, and made directly to whatever account she possessed. This seemed highly unusual for a floral shopkeeper… Oddest of all, however, was the fact that the young woman actually screened potential clients before accepting their ordering logs._

_So, even as the woman was leaving to avoid the merchant's cold and strange behavior, she couldn't help but ask._

"_I was just wondering…" she said, standing a few feet away from the shopkeeper and trying to smile even sweeter than she had before, "Why do you keep the shop so secret?"_

_The shopkeeper returned the passing smile, and responded, "Because there are some people who I don't want in my shop," without missing a beat._

_The intimidating, almost… _**electrifying** _look in the younger woman's eyes delivered a message. The shopper took the hint, waved one last good-bye, and left so that the shopkeeper could lock up after her._

_The merchant glanced out the window through green shrubbery blocking others from seeing inside until she was sure the woman had entered her empty car and drove away. Then, the merchant trailed back to the front desk._

_She sighed. People just made her so **nervous** these days… She supposed being around all these flowers constantly really was a pleasant experience. Flowers couldn't hurt or betray her. Flowers weren't deceiving. They were simply beautiful._

_Her space—or, she supposed more of a studio—was simply one large room, mostly overtaken by rows and rows of flowers and plant life all over the main floor. A distinct trail led from the west wall to the east wall, where her desk was located. A couple feet away from her desk was her refrigerator, which she had stocked with various supplies, non mineralized water for the plants, and a little bit of food for herself. Atop the desk was a computer, which she spent most of her day on after completing the other parts of her daily routine._

_On the west wall, at the beginning of the trail leading through her indoor flower garden, was the entrance to her studio. It was kept locked most of the time, only opened mornings at 7:00 AM to let the agency's delivery man bring her shipment of supplies for the garden, or on every second Sunday at 7:00 PM to let in a neighborhood boy who delivered groceries for her. Other than that, only clients were allowed inside—and, as the nosy customer who had just left had pointed out, required a strict screening test that the shopkeeper herself performed._

_She rarely left the building. In fact, she slept and lived there. Of course, it hadn't always been this way… Once, she had a house, with the luxury of safely coming and going as she pleased. Her safety was compromised, though. Now, she could not afford that same luxury._

_Feeling at peace once again, now that the nosy lady had left with her beautiful bouquet of pink lotuses, the soft-featured, and slender merchant sat behind her desk and opened her computer files up._

…

_**USER NAME…**_

**AERITH**

_**PASSWORD**_

**JENOVA**

_**WAITING.**_

_**WAITING..**_

_**WAITING…**_

_**SUCCESS! WELCOME TO 'THE WORLD'!**_

…

Valentine was leaning against a ledge of _Carmina Gadelica_, staring out across the darkened city waters, when Aerith materialized beside him after having logged back into _The World_.

"Hello, stranger."

Aerith scowled. "_Don't_, Valentine… You have no idea what just happened to me."

Valentine turned to her, his red eyes glowing like charcoals. "I hope it explains why you logged out without telling me why."

Aerith's scowl deepened. "It _does_."

Valentine drummed his fingers half-heartedly on the top of the ledge. "…I'm waiting…" he coaxed her.

Aerith turned away from the water, and rested her shoulders against the ledge. She trailed her fingers across the smooth skin of her left arm, and then held it, as if nervous about something. "The _Heavy Blade _who I met at that infected Area last week… I ran into him again, at _Dun Loireag_."

Valentine remained silent.

So did Aerith.

Finally, Valentine's fingers stopped drumming against the ledge. He turned an amusing eye to his friend. "Are you telling me _that's_ your excuse?" he asked, sounding entertained.

Aerith bitterly dropped her gaze to the ground, and fire came back into her stare. "Come on, Valentine. Don't you think it's odd that I met him twice in a week?"

Valentine responded, "Do you think he is following you?"

Aerith paused. She dropped her right hand from her left arm, and looked back at her friend. "I think he might have been looking for me."

Valentine was quiet for a moment. Then, he laughed.

"_What!?_"

Valentine smiled good-naturedly. "You expect every player you happen to run across twice to be a spy for Garland, don't you?"

"No, that's not it!" Aerith shot back. She crossed her arms, and indifferently relaxed back against the wall, crossing her legs. "I actually think he has a _crush_ on me," she remarked in a nonchalant tone.

Valentine raised an eyebrow. Somehow, this seemed a more convincing theory than the Heavy Blade being a spy. "Really?"

"You should see how he stares at me," Aerith replied. "It's sort of sad, actually."

Valentine paused, and then he smiled. "And let me guess—you broke his heart, and logged out as soon as you recognized him from last week."

Aerith hesitated, and then she flipped her hair and stood more firmly, away from the wall. "Whatever," she said, uncaringly. "Listen, I'm sorry I missed our meeting time. Do you have any thing to report?"

Valentine didn't bother trying to change the subject back. "I've found a rumor on the message board, and sent a Private Message to the poster," he answered. "Apparently, a new infected Area has been spotted. It's reachable from this Root Town."

Aerith's gaze was cast downward once again. "Were there any more coma incidents?" she asked coolly.

Valentine sighed. He nodded, and raised his fingers in the air. _Two_.

Aerith gritted her teeth. "I _know_ he's behind it, Valentine," she muttered. "We should start investigating his activities—"

"Aerith, stop pushing that subject," Valentine said, sounding exasperated. "We began our investigation by studying any possible role he might have in this. We couldn't find a single angle, other than the information you have from the Real World…"

"Isn't that enough to take an interest?" Aerith demanded.

Valentine shot her a warning glance. "You can't assume things based on grudges." His words struck her like a gunshot. Aerith knew, realistically, that because there was no identifiable pattern to the rate or location of the infected Areas, it was impossible to link the problem to Garland or any other player. She also knew that her basis for suspecting Garland wasn't the strongest…

'_I wish Valentine would listen to me, though,_' she thought bitterly.

It was Valentine's turn to cross his arms and change positions so that he was leaning back against the ledge. "Any ways," he said, "Why are you avoiding this male character?"

Aerith's eyes burnt with annoyance. "_Drop it_, Valentine."

Valentine smirked, which was very rare to see him do. "Why? It's interesting."

"How so?" she snapped.

He went on, "Because now there's someone out there who notices you in this game… and you just want to ignore them, and hope they will go away."

Aerith narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you saying that's the wrong way to approach the problem?"

Valentine examined his friend meaningfully. "I never thought about it as a 'problem'," he said cryptically.

Aerith felt curious. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… Why not turn this person into an asset?"

Aerith hesitated. "An… asset?"

Valentine nodded. "Think about it."

Aerith looked uncomfortable, all of a sudden. "I…" She closed her eyes thoughtfully. "I really don't see why that would be necessary."

Valentine's expression remained stoic. "Of course, it's not 'necessary'… But it could prove to be useful. You told me that this boy was capable of defeating a _Wave_ creature, despite having a lower level than you or me. Doesn't that seem… interesting, at all to you?"

Aerith remained silent, and her face remained uncaring. "It doesn't matter what he's capable of," she argued, "because I still don't know his intentions."

Valentine avoided looking at her for a moment. He felt the familiar coldness in her personality that he had come to expect from her. He respected it because Aerith refused to trust anyone too much, a mistake which could jeopardize both their missions in _The World_. However, he disliked the notion that he was her only friend in the game… It all seemed too lonely for a girl like her.

When he spoke again, his voice was as persuasive as he could hope for. "Why don't you test him to learn his intentions?" he suggested.

Aerith made no comment.

"Bring him to an infected Area," Valentine pressed on. "Talk to him, and get a feel for who he is, and how he is connected with the _Wave_… Who knows, maybe he will even prove to be useful against _Him_."

Aerith shot her glance at Valentine at the mention of Garland. There was no way to describe the _hellish_ focus that appeared in her brown eyes when someone mentioned him… It was as though she was obsessed with how he had hurt her. Vengeance was all she seemed to think about…

She decided that like vengeance, this opportunity was too sweet to pass up.

"I'll be leaving now," Aerith told Valentine, simply. Valentine made no movement away from the ledge.

"I will contact you again if I hear more rumors," Valentine said.

Aerith nodded. She had it clear in her mind: she would find this boy—Cloud—and learn his true intentions. Whether or not she could trust him was already decided—trust was too high a price to demand of her in this game. Whether or not he would prove useful anyways, was a different matter. She would soon find out… and if she found the results she hoped for then she would have one more ally to help her shake up Garland.

An opportunity such as this one was worth _everything_ to her. She cast a quick glance back at Valentine before she took her leave.

"Thank you." She Gated Out.

…

Feeling dejected, Cloud was quietly sitting on a bank of _Dun Loireag_'s grassy Chaos Gate. His large blade—the _Fenrir_—was lying lifelessly behind him on the ground. His blue eyes were unfocused, and no true thoughts seemed coherent in his mind. He was simply remembering…

Her eyes had been so _invasive_… He could still feel their stare, and the suspicious glare they had projected. They had burned into him so deeply, he wondered if he would ever be able to lose the feeling of being under their watch.

He was distracted from his thoughts by her voice behind him.

"Come with me," Aerith said bluntly.

Cloud's heart skipped a beat. He turned around, with wide blue eyes that gazed like a child's.

"…Why?"

"I'm going to take you someplace," she answered. "I want to figure something out about you."

Cloud blinked. He felt small and submissive with the female Wavemaster towering over him speaking with such a demanding voice. Part of him hated the way she was making him feel—it was overwhelming and he felt kind of intimidated. Still, another part of him was inexplicably drawn to pursue whatever form of connection he could build with her. There were so many conflicting emotions, and he was powerless to battle them all…

Without struggling, he gave in. "Fine."

Aerith nodded. "Give me your Member Address, so I can invite you to form a party."

And they were off.

…

Cloud instantly noticed that the sun was beginning to set in the Area Aerith had brought him to. It cast its shadow over the crisp, green lawn which, no doubt, was a roaming ground for countless monsters. The entrance to a dungeon was not very far away, Cloud noted on his map. Save for a few puffy clouds overhead, the sky was blue, and the temperature was warm. Nothing special seemed to stand out about this Area.

Aerith looked at him, the testy look in her eyes never faltering. "Follow me."

Curiously, Cloud began to follow her as she walked in the direction of the Area's dungeon. Things were silent for a few moments.

"Tell me…" Aerith finally said. "What does _The World_ mean to you?"

Cloud stared at her, unknowing what to say. He had not actually thought about it before…

After giving it a moment's worth of thought, Cloud finally answered. "I like playing the game," he said, "because you get to explore your own limits."

At this, Aerith's lips curled into a smile. '_Bingo._'

Cloud wondered why she seemed so pleased with this answer, but their conversation came to a stop when Aerith drew her _Wavemaster_ wand out and stood in a battle-ready position. She glanced at Cloud, with a twinkle of mystery in her eyes.

"Get ready," she warned.

This statement all made sense one second later, when there was a burst of black data from the ground a few feet ahead of them. Cloud immediately grabbed his sword, and felt his body start to react—his muscles tensed up, his heartbeat quickened, and his eyes began dedicatedly trailing his enemy.

The monster looked like a huge, black serpent, with glowing red eyes and several black fins along its spine. Two wing-like appendages extended from its torso as arms, and Cloud could see that its tail—a long, black one—ended in a _very_ sharp, dangerous-looking blade.

The monster screamed a horrific howl that hurt Cloud's ears. It sounded as nightmarish as the serpent looked, yet Cloud couldn't help but notice that it seemed familiar somehow…

Cloud gasped with surprise. Was it a monster similar to the creature he and Tifa had encountered one week ago?

"Is it—? " He exclaimed.

"It's a viral monster," Aerith said calmly. "Same as the one we encountered last time."

The serpent gracefully stood before them, flicking its eyes back and forth from the two warriors. Then without warning, it thrust its head forward at Aerith, hissing angrily and baring its mouthful of sharp fangs. Aerith grunted and used her wand to block the attack by holding it horizontally. Being held just inches away from her face, the monster began hissing voraciously. Aerith could feel its warm breath all over her face, even in the Real World…

Cloud acted quickly, feeling a rush of blood thirst crawl through him at the sight of Aerith being attacked. He raced forward several steps, and then threw his sword into the creature's neck, using his hips to give his swing some power.

The serpentine hissed and made a chilling, sobbing sound. However, Cloud was immediately reminded of his battle the past week as the monster's injured neck began repairing itself instantly. Black data began cumulating around the wound, and the monster was instantly healthy again.

Plus, it was more pissed off than before!

Cloud choked in pain as he felt a sudden slam into his side, and realized that the _shllick! _sound accompanying it was the sound of the serpent's tail blade in his body. With a freshly serrated wound, hot blood began trickling down to the grass. Cloud's vision disappeared, and he felt his pulse racing away from him…

"_Curaga!_" Aerith shouted.

Although his body was healed, Aerith's spell did more than just recover Cloud's hit points. Hearing her voice reminded him that she was near…

Aerith watched with amazement as Cloud's eyes came back into focus, and they froze over with a kind of intense hatred that she had only ever seen in _her own_ eyes. His blue orbs were now a chilling shade of war, and it impressed Aerith. She felt like him and her were similar, somehow… She felt the same hatred and obsession when it came to Garland. Cloud's cold hatred seemed to come to life when there was a battle at hand… Obviously, he was a blood thirsty young man. But Aerith could use that kind of help…

Cloud turned his gaze onto the serpent, and raised his heavy sword once again. He defensively held it out in front of him, ready for anything the monster might try.

The monster quickly whipped its tail at Cloud once again, this time aiming for his throat. The movement was lightning-quick and almost blurred past Aerith's eyes, but Cloud was able to remain steady and greet the monster's tail with his own blade. The clash of the two blades meeting resonated through the air.

Cloud focused the muscles of his wrists, and then took a calculated, graceful step to the side as he pushed down the monster's tail using the brunt of his sword. Having parried the monster's tail, he was now able to raise his sword and quickly step in, shifting his weight to slam into the monster's throat for a second time.

Cloud and Aerith were both chilled by the same sobbing sound from before as it echoed through the air. However, the monster was already regenerating itself, so Cloud took this opportunity to work a better offensive strategy into play.

With a pivot of his hips, Cloud brought his sharp sword downward, and neatly sliced off the monster's tail.

The thunderous roar of the beast was enough to make Cloud uneasy, but he would not let himself get distracted. Instead, he raised his eyes to meet Aerith's, and she recognized an urgent signal that now was her time to act.

She began concentrating, and bit down on her lower lip. Like a dancer, she raised her wand above her head and swung it in a crossed arc. In her mind, she imagined flames, heat… and a big, black burnt serpentine.

"_Firaga!_"

In a moment, the monster's horrible scream filled the air once again. Fire surrounded both it and Cloud, and its vision was blinded by the smoke and intense flames. However, its tail blade was regenerating, and pretty soon it would be able to—

Before it had a chance to use its nifty new tail blade, Cloud focused his aim to a perfect spot, and sliced the monster's body in two.

The two halves of the creature slid slowly down the sides of Cloud's _Fenrir_. The creature didn't even have the ability to scream any more… but its flickering red eyes fixed onto Cloud's face, and blinked. It was cut in half… but it _blinked_.

'_Nasty,_' Cloud thought, still holding his blade between the two pieces of serpentine. Flames danced around the warrior and the fallen monster. Puffs of smoke drifted across Cloud's face, making it hard to see. The monster still blinked, but its data was slowly draining from its segmented body. Cloud continued to hold his blade in place, making sure the serpent's body could not reform against the _Fenrir's_ cold steel. It was a long, slow process.

The monster's incineration was accompanied by the same melody that had played while the last viral creature had been defeated. It was an odd, low sound that seeped into Cloud's soul and disturbed him in a way he could not quite describe… It was sad, but horrifying.

After the last pieces of the monster's data faded from _The World_, Cloud stepped away. He kept his eyes glued to the ground for a few moments, catching his breath once more.

He looked up, finally, at Aerith. Her eyes were haunting and stern.

"Tell me what's going on," he finally asked.

…

The duo was sat down on a grassy hill of the Area, feeling relaxed and relatively safe. Cloud had discarded his sword on the ground, and was leaning back against the soft hill. He cradled his neck with his hands, and gazed at Aerith as she spoke.

"The monsters you've been fighting are the result of a virus," she whispered. She was sitting with her legs bent at the knee in front of her, and was still holding her wand in one hand. She didn't look at Cloud, but at the soft, crimson glow of the setting sun in the distance. It was a beautiful sight… The pink haze and reddish burn of the sun shone brightly, decorating the blue sky. The sight reminded them both that even though the game could pose challenges such as what they had just overcome, it also had the power of beauty.

'_And,_' Cloud realized, '_of mystery._'

"I've been investigating the appearance of these monsters ever since I heard that they were related to the coma victims being discussed on the Message Board," Aerith continued, her stare remaining on the sunset yonder. "Not many people have made that connection because usually when those monsters attack… there are no survivors to tell of it afterwards."

Cloud's eyes quickly widened. "You mean those coma rumors are true?" he asked.

Aerith nodded. Her eyes became grim and sullen. "So far, eight players have fallen unconscious after battling one of those creatures," she added softly.

"God…" Cloud whispered, wishing he could believe it wasn't true. What a _shock_… All along, most of _The World's_ community had debunked the rumors, insisting that players who were supposedly comatose were actually just refusing to log back in, or had computer difficulties, etc. Knowing the truth made things much more frightening than some silly rumors.

"The monsters' victims are put into comas," Aerith continued. "How it happens isn't something I understand right now… but the process is getting bigger and worse. These monsters are spreading to more Areas in _The World_. So far, there have only been eight victims… but if things keep going like this, there could be _many_ more."

Cloud watched her expression. She now looked intense, and that icy fire was back up in her eyes. Obviously, she held this situation very close to her heart.

"You said they are caused by a virus," Cloud said slowly. "Does that mean it can be fixed?"

Aerith shook her head. "No. There aren't any system debuggers who could fix the data these monsters possess… Their power seems to be foreign to the system, like from _outside_ the game… It's difficult."

Cloud noted that she said the word "difficult" strangely. It seemed to him what she was really trying to say was _that it scared her_.

"Do the System Administrators know about this?"

Aerith scowled. "No. And what's most important is that they don't find out."

Cloud was puzzled. "Why can't they?"

Aerith turned her burning gaze directly at the sun, setting over the crescent of clouds shaped along the edge of _The World_.

"If System Administration investigates, they will only interfere… This needs to be kept a secret. Only _I_ can fix this."

The last words she spoke seemed very cold and concise to Cloud. He was taken aback by the determination in her voice.

"Wh-why?" he stammered.

Even without knowing the answer, his mind was made up: he was going to do everything he could to help this woman out.

"I think I know who is responsible for this," Aerith said finally, disgust and anger surging into her voice. "And he _can't_ be approached by System Administration, or else he will use his means—he's always got _some_ way to do it—and not get caught."

With that, her face fell, and she looked absolutely pensive.

Cloud was stunned by the emotion she was showing in this conversation. Aerith always seemed so taciturn to the point of coldness. Something about this topic seemed to trigger a response deep inside her. He desperately wished he could unclench that trigger, and relieve her angry feelings.

"His name is Garland," Aerith said softly. Cloud had to strain to hear her voice—"and he is a **_very_** dangerous, **_bad_** human being."

Cloud was intrigued.

Aerith's devastated eyes searched to the horizon again as the sun dipped ever lower toward the ground, setting to make way for the night. "In real life, Garland is the leader of an organization known as "_The Syndicate"_. It's… a crime organization."

'_Yakuza_,' Cloud realized.

Aerith went on. "'The Syndicate' reaches across Japan, and deals with different types of crime—mainly drug dealing, murders, _harassment_…"—Aerith's voice dropped to add a personal touch to the last word—"but there's a new forum for them to conquer with the existence of the Internet, and the possibility of online crime. It seems this game is a perfect place to explore that forum."

Cloud understood why a _yakuza_ leader would want to use this game to accomplish his goals. The game was sponsored by CC Corporation, which was also associated with _ALTIMIT_, the world's largest and primary providing source of the Internet. Establishing roots in the game could lead to many connections and contacts that even the Real World couldn't provide; after all, more than 20,000 people played _The World_ online.

"But what are his intentions?" Cloud asked.

Aerith pursed her lips. "I wish I knew," she admitted. "My only guess is that he wants to use the viral monsters to put his enemies into comas… You have to admit, it's clean, and impossible to trace back to him. He could knock down a lot of pegs and never get caught."

Cloud admitted, her theory _did_ make sense. But he had a question.

"Why do you think it's him?" he asked.

Aerith glared at the ground. "I was around when he first set up an account," she said. "It coincides with the appearance of the monsters."

Cloud assumed this meant she knew Garland in real life as well... Before he could ask about the subject, Aerith interrupted.

"I'm the only one who can do this," she reaffirmed. "I _have_ to make sure Garland is stopped. It's… _personal_."

She turned her eyes to Cloud, whose jaw dropped. In her eyes was a strange mixture of sadness and sympathy—a _very_ drastic difference from how she had looked at him back in _Dun Loireag_.

She was sending him a message. '_I trust you. I'm letting you in on my secrets. Help me. Please.'_

Cloud had no doubt in his mind. He would do all he could to help her—this was already established. However, he had one more question left.

"Why me?" he asked timidly.

Aerith's eyes lit up once again with a cute sparkle. "You said you like testing your limits…" she said carefully. A smile appeared. "Don't you think this is the perfect opportunity for someone like you?"

Cloud said nothing. He simply stared at her. After a few moments of gazing, he returned to facing the setting sun, which was at its last stages of death before the birth of the night.

"Help me," Aerith repeated. Her voice was small and tired. "This virus—_the Wave—it's _spreading and getting bigger. Soon it might drown the entire _World_… So, help me."

Cloud nodded. All he needed was that one last request for help, and any confusion he felt about Aerith's personality was blown away.

"I'm here for you," he promised. "Let's do this."

The sun sank.

…

THE END


End file.
